Disease
by Tiger's Stripes
Summary: A mysterious illness is waging war on the inhabitants of ShadowClan, turning its victims crazy. Blossompaw, one of the few unaffected cats, must embark on a quest to find the jewel blossom, the only flower that can save them. Everything is at stake...
1. Chapter 1

Yowls and screams of pain echoed through the camp. Blossompaw cowered in the shadows of the apprentice den, ears covering her paws, trying to block it all out. Her best friend, Pinepaw, sat beside her, tail resting on her shoulders, but even the comforting presence of her best friend couldn't quiet the shivers running through her body. The horrible, piercing wails, shrill with fear, resounded through her skull, and a tiny whimper escaped her lips as she pressed herself into the ground.

Pinepaw crouched next to her and pressed his pelt against hers. "It's okay," he told her, "it will be over soon."

Blossompaw couldn't reply, only let out a choked sob as the screeches outside turned to hysteria. Howling, tortured hysteria. Most of the Clan would be out in the camp, trying to make the sufferer's journey to StarClan more peaceful. Blossompaw knew what was going on out there, even though she had raced into her den as soon as the first yowl split the morning air.

It was a disease. A horrible, terrifying disease that had been plaguing the ShadowClan cats for only a quarter moon, and yet had already taken out almost a dozen warriors, kits, apprentices and elders. No one was safe from the disease, and once you caught it, there was no hope of survival for you.

First, an affected cat would lose their appetite. Cats would go a day without eating, refusing even the freshest, juciest delicacies. By that evening, they would become confused, unsure of what was going on around them. The next day, they were as good as gone.

_This disease… It affects the brain. _Echoflower's simple words ran through Blossompaw's mind again and again as the screams outside stopped, cut short. Either a cat had killed the diseased Sparrowfang by now, or his voice had merely given out. Sparrowfang had gone two days without eating, no matter how others had plead with him, knowing his fate, and somehow accepting it. When he felt fuzzy-headed and confused the second night, he merely went to Echoflower's den and spent the night. When he awoke, earlier than the sun, all traces of Sparrowfang had vanished. Instead, Echoflower was roused by the feeling of hot breath on her neck.

Sparrowfang had lost it. Like all other cats who contacted the disease, he had been unable to realize that the cats around him were not enemies, and tried to kill half the cats left in the Clan, jumping off one victim onto another, screaming in that horrible, tortured way. When held to the ground by four or five different cats, his mind collapsed into panic mode, and the wailing, hysteric howls were what rang through the camp now.

Blossompaw knew it was the last step. Slowly, she forced herself to count the heartbeats until Sparrowfang was lost forever.

Then, they stopped. The last wail's echoes faded into the afternoon air, and though every cat tried to hold it back, a wave of relieved sighs swept through the camp.

Blossompaw only buried her head in her paws, wanting to yowl in grief, wanting to scream, leave the camp, and never come back. But she stayed silent as Pinepaw licked her ear in a futile attempt to comfort her. "It's okay," he whispered, "he's safe in StarClan."

"But he's there without me." Blossompaw was Sparrowfang's daughter, and he had been the only family she had left. Her mother was the first to be taken by the disease, and she was an only kit. Sparrowfang was the best father she could have asked for, always there for her, cheerful and a strong cat she could hide behind when the going got tough. But who could comfort her now, in this time of torture after his death?

Pinepaw sighed and pressed his pelt into hers. "I know it hurts," he mewed, "but he wouldn't have wanted you to dwell on this, would he? Come on. Go to sleep. I'll tell Echoflower and Emberstar you're unable to attend the ceremony."

"I don't want to miss it," Blossompaw protested, "he's my father!"

Still, Pinepaw took her scruff in his teeth and dragged her into her nest. Giving up, Blossomapw let the comforting veil of sleep overtake her, and she drifted into a deep, dreamless slumber.

A single yowl split the air, waking Blossompaw from sleep. Instinctively, Blossompaw curled into a ball, trying to block it out. Who else had been taken? Who else had mindlessly tried to kill the cats they had formerly loved, laughed with, cherished? Who else's mind had collapsed under the shock of the disease?

When Pinepaw skidded into the den, his eyes were bright. "Blossompaw, get up!" He told her, "Echoflower's received a dream from StarClan. There's a cure for the disease!"

Blossompaw raised her head. "Really?"

Pinepaw nodded, "she's in Emberstar's den right now. There's talk of a quest!"

It was a lot to process for Blossompaw's sleep-muddled brain, but she rose from her nest and she and Pinepaw joined the noticeably smaller throng of cats below the TallTree. Almost every cats was sick with a 'milder version' of the disease- Confusion, lack of appetite, but so far, no cat had died from it. Only the full-blown thing, it seemed, affected the brain and killed its victim. In any case, Pinepaw and Blossompaw, along with Emberstar, Echoflower and a few warriors were the only healthy cats. Blossompaw had a feeling that she hadn't contacted anything because she spent all her time hidden in a tiny crawlspace between the apprentice's den and the wall protecting their camp. Pinepaw spent all his time back there with her, so both had remained healthy through the turmoil of death.

The muddled voices of the Clan died down as Emberstar and Echoflower emerged from Emberstar's den at the base of the TallTree. The slight, black-and-orange mottled ShadowClan leader leaped up onto the thick, claw-scored branch where she always addressed her Clan from, and Echoflower joined her moments later. "Cats of ShadowClan," Emberstar called, "Echoflower has received a message from StarClan!"

The pale gray she-cat stepped forward and raised her voice to be heard by all the cats in the clearing. "Last night, I dreamed I was on the edge of a great cliff. Around me, growing in the crags of the rocks, were strange, spotted flowers with an unusual shape I had never seen before. The cliff was very tall, so tall that I couldn't see the ground. As I was examining a flower, Ravenstar, the leader before Emberstar, appeared next to me."

The medicine cat paused for a moment, then continued: "He told me that these flowers, 'jewel blossoms' were the only way to save affected cats. Once they had eaten a petal from this flower, they would be safe from ever getting it again. Without a cat to latch onto, this disease would die out and the Clan would be safe."

"Where can we find them?" A cat called out.

Echoflower's face darkened. "It will be a long and perilous journey," she mewed, "For the cats must travel in the direction of the Sun-Drown place, but veer off-course and instead climb what Ravenstar called the Sky Mountain. There, they will find the jewel blossoms that can save our cats."

"Then it is to be a quest?" Someone asked.

Emberstar stepped forward and nodded. "I will choose four cats to journey to the Sky Mountain. They must be healthy and strong, prepared for whatever lies ahead. Echoflower and I will discuss it, and announce the quest-goers at sunhigh. They will travel to the moonpool for StarClan's guidance, and then return here for strengthening herbs. We can only hope those two things will be enough." Emberstar dipped her head and leaped down from the tree, signaling the end of the meeting.

**I know, I know. Annoying ending. Blech :P Too bad for you. So, what did you guys think? God, my writing is so much better than it used to be… Please review! I mean really. You read this, you like this. Review it! Even if you don't have anything particularly helpful, just drop a review to let me know you've seen it. Kthxbai ;)**

~Tabby


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews, everyone! Really, I mean it. They made me want to finish this chapter, so this is for you :)**

"All cats well enough to, gather beneath the TallTree for a Clan announcement." Emberstar's voice rang out, sharp and clear in the warm, late Greenleaf air. Blossompaw followed Pinepaw out of the apprentice's den, tortoiseshell ears pricked. The rest of the Clan, most slightly swervy or confused from the sickness, was already gathered. Blossompaw had a feeling that some hadn't moved all afternoon. Emberstar and Echoflower were balanced on their perch again, the deputy Smokefoot next to them, surveying the sickened cats with severe amber eyes.

Emberstar raised herself to her full height and called, "Echoflower and I have decided which four cats are to go on the quest."

Nervous murmurs erupted as cats began to speculate about who had been chosen. Blossompaw watched the three cats on the perch, anxious for Emberstar to go on.

"Who do you think it'll be?" Pinepaw whispered in her ear as the last dazed, slurred mutters from the mildly infected cats died down enough for Emberstar's words to be heard again.

In response, the small tortoiseshell she-cat shook her head, flicking one ear as ShadowClan's leader continued to speak: "I have consulted StarClan, Echoflower and Smokefoot on this matter, and we have all come to the conclusion that we will send the four healthiest cats in the Clan so that at least one has the highest chance of making it back."

In their muddled state, several of the previously strong warriors had begun to talk excitedly amongst themselves, each sure that they were to be chosen. Blossompaw felt her heart quiver in anticipation and fear as Emberstar continued, "The four cats to go are to be Birdpelt-"

The young cream she-cat raised her head, blinking in surprise,

"Ashfang-"

A dark gray tom nodded,

"Pinepaw and Blossompaw."

Blossompaw felt her heart stop for a second, and then she felt confusion and nervous excitement running through her veins. She was about to embark on a quest to save her Clan!

Pinepaw exchanged a glance with her, amber eyes shining in pride and anticipation. "We're going on the journey!" He whispered to her.

A collective clamor had arisen from the warriors gathered around them. The most common call was, "You can't send two apprentices on a journey like this!"

Emberstar sat stock-still for one moment, ginger tail flicking back and forth, yellow eyes watching the commotion with calm superiority, before she raised one paw and the camp grew quiet. "You are all correct," she called. "Apprentices cannot be sent on such a perilous trip." She turned her eyes down to where Blossompaw and Pinepaw sat, near the back of the crowd. "Come forward, you two."

Blossompaw swapped a nervous look with Pinepaw, before cautiously rising to her paws and walking forward to stand beneath the TallTree. The comforting bulk of Pinepaw's pelt next to her own was all that kept her from trembling as Emberstar raised her eyes to face the crowd. "These two young cats have trained with us for many enough moons, and are about to embark on a quest to save their Clan. Is it not fit that they should go as warriors, not apprentices?"

The crowd had grown silent- Blossompaw knew that the roar of the Clan would fill this spot under normal circumstances, but most were too muddled from the infection to do much more than stare dumbly. It did not faze Emberstar though, for she continued: "As their leader, it is within my power to decide that it is time for these two apprentices to receive their full names. Pinepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even away from home?"

The handsome reddish-brown tom raised his eyes to meet Emberstar's. "I do," he replied solemnly.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Pinepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Pineclaw. Serve your Clan well, no matter how far away from them you are."

Pineclaw dipped his head and stepped back. Emberstar turned to Blossompaw, fixing the small she-cat with her intense yellow gaze. "Do you, Blossompaw, promise to protect your Clan alongside StarClan's other chosen warriors? To fight with them, and die for them?"

Blossompaw nodded, aware of the huge weight Emberstar's words had placed on her shoulders. "I do."

"Then I name you Blossomtail. Serve us well."

Blossomtail dipped her head, and Birdpelt started up the call, "Pineclaw! Blossomtail!" Gradually, a few more cats joined in, and then a few more, until the better part of the Clan was cheering for its new warriors. Blossomtail felt fear, dread and excitement coursing through her veins as the last shouts died down and Pineclaw approached her.

"Well, looks like we're warriors now," he mewed solemnly, "though I can't say this is really the most honorable time to become one."

Blossomtail took a deep breath as Birdpelt and Ashfang approached them. Birdpelt dipped her head. "Congratulations, you two," she murmured. "Echoflower wants to see us all in her den. She says we are going to the Moonpool."

Despite the sense of dread settling in her chest, a flicker of interest sparked at the mention of the Moonpool. Blossomtail pricked her ears and followed the two warriors to Echoflower's den, where the small pale she-cat sat, tail curled neatly around her paws. "Are you all ready?" she asked.

Blossomtail nodded along with the others, though she wasn't quite sure she would ever be ready to meet StarClan, until she died. But she pressed her pelt against Pineclaw's like she had done for protection all her life and followed the others out of camp and through the forest.

It was nearly moonhigh when the small party reached the path worn into the stone by countless sets of paws. Uncurling her claws, Blossomtail followed Echoflower up the trail next to the moonlit stream until they reached a very small gap in the rock wall, framed by hanging mosses and ferns. Echoflower pushed through and Blossomtail followed. They emerged in a small, deep hollow with a crystal-clear pool in the middle. The stone was smooth and worn, dimpled with pawprints that led right down to the water's edge. Echoflower beckoned them all forward with a flick of her plumed tail. Overhead, the moon made an imperceptible twitch forward and the Moonpool was suddenly ignited with white light, shining like all the stars in Silverpelt combined. The medicine cat stepped forward and crouched beside the water, dipping her nose into the liquid starlight and going still, eyes closing and shoulders relaxing. The warriors and Pineclaw- though, Blossomtail supposed, he was a warrior as well- joined her. With a deep breath, she crouched beside him and dipped her nose into the water. It was like receiving a shock. Her eyes fell closed and she was swallowed by darkness.

**Well? How did you guys like it? I really wanted to finish this, so very sorry if the quality is a little bit less than the first. I hope you enjoy it, please review!**

~Tabby


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